SAP 505 Worlds – Day 3, races 4 & 5

Pinnell Wins A Race But Holt Still on Top

Day 3 of the SAP 505 World Championships saw the return of stronger breezes to Algoa Bay in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Mike Holt and Carl Smit were the pathfinder boat for the first race of the day, but the reigning World Champions found no benefit in having to sail to the right-hand side of the course, while early-out-of-the-gate Ian Pinnell was pleased that his hunch about the left proved correct.

Crewed by Johannes Tellen from Germany, Great Britain’s Pinnell led the fleet around the first mark and after the first lap was never seriously challenged by Sandy Higgins and Paul Marsh, with the Australians finishing 2nd behind the 2008 World Champion. Meanwhile, Holt had made a great recovery to cross the line in 3rd place.

In race 2, former World Champions Howie Hamlin and Jeff Nelson opened the gate, but it was those other Californians – Holt and Smit – who just couldn’t be stopped in the building breeze. Malcolm Higgins and Nick Johnston were incredibly fast on the upwind legs, but struggled to hold back the reigning World Champions and the Australians eventually came in 4th place. Ted Conrads and Brian Haines are turning in a consistent set of scores, and the Californians came 3rd across the line behind 2nd placed Pinnell, who was the most consistent performer of the day.

Both Holt and Pinnell have been racing the 505 for more than 25 years, but both veterans reckoned today’s sailing conditions – blue skies, warm water, 18 knots breeze and big waves – were among the very best they have ever experienced. “It was really hard work, but great fun,” said Holt. “It really doesn’t get any better, and the team that didn’t show up for these Worlds will be kicking themselves for not coming.”

Tuesday is a day off from competition, and while Holt will spend a relaxed day in Port Elizabeth just doing a few boat checks, others are off on safari or going on road trips along the beautiful South African coastline. Then it’s back to the action on Wednesday, when the live TV coverage also kicks in for the final three days of competition.

Catch up on all the news, interviews photos and videos at:  SAP505Worlds.com

Results below

✓ Regatta Rank Competitor Name R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 Σ 1  USA 9072 Holt / Smit 1 1 3 1 6 2  GBR 9136 Pinnell / Tellen 3 3 1 2 9 3  AUS 9134 Quirk / Payne 3 4 1 4 12 4  AUS 8946 Higgins  / Marsh 2 4 2 5 13 5  USA 9091 Conrads / Haines 5 2 5 3 15 6  GER 9135 Bohm / Roos 8 2 7 6 23 7  RSA 9094 Funke / Funke 5 8 10 8 31 8  GBR 9124 Scutcher / Diebitsch 6 8 7 10 31 9  AUS 8890 Higgins / Johnston 7 13 8 4 32 10  USA 9153 Hamlin  / Nelson 10 9 6 7 32 11  DEN 9118 Saugmann / Karbo 4 11 9 9 33 12  RSA 9063 Largier / Hutton-Squire 11 10 11 11 43 13  RSA 8486 Robinson / Robinson 9 14 6 15 44 14  RSA 8719 Ham / Ham 12 14 13 12 51 15  RSA 9026 Plattner / Shelton 16 13 14 14 57 16  GER 9043 Stenger / Birkner 15 17 10 18 60 17  USA 8084 Ross / Waterman 17 16 16 15 64 18  RSA 8520 D’Engle  / Nel 18 18 12 20 68 19  RSA 8675 Hurter / May 19 17 17 17 70 20  GBR 9125 Deane / Deane 20 19 28 13 80 21  AUS 8637 Cronin / Whitbread 23 24 19 18 84 22  RSA 8445 Klaas / Von Gruenewaldt 22 19 21 22 84 23  GER 8988 Mittermayer / Barteldt 24 21 24 20 89 24  RSA 7822 Klaas  / Tellen 24 22 23 21 90 25  RSA 8537 Foreman / Van Der Ploeg 26 23 20 28 97 26  RSA 8948 Parker / Holm 21 25 27 27 100 27  RSA 8584 Rogotzki / Roos 29 26 22 23 100 28  GER 9000 Menge / Wilts 27 27 26 24 104 29  RSA 8707 Holm / Fourie 28 25 26 28 107 30  RSA 8091 Snyman / Ballantyne 29 23 25 DNS 114 31  RSA 8789 Ham / Robinson 30 21 32 RET 120 32  RSA 8121 Holtshauzen  / Kirchner 32 32 31 26 121 33  AUS 9018 Bowden / Bath 27 28 33 DNC 125 34  RSA 7608 Bailes / Isaac 31 30 34 DNC 132 35  RSA 6266 Arthur / Anderson 31 RET DNS DNS 142 36  RSA 4437 Ballantyne / Groenewald DNC 35 33 RET 142

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